Fire screen or guard



June 1-2, 1951 F. A. GUENTZ FIRE SCREEN 0R GUARD Filed Jan. 10, 1948 3nventor flea flak d 'aemz $2% attorneg Patented June 12 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE SCREEN R GUARD Frederick A. Guentz, Spokane, Wash.

Application January 1 0, 1948, Serial No. 1,579

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to an improved fire screen or guard of the portable and foldable building in the event of fire in an adjoining building.

The screen or guard comprises hinged panels forming sections of sheet metal supported from suspending cables and may be normally retained in folded position on the ground and raised and unfolded as may be necessary.

The usual normal size of the guard may be increased by the addition of other sections for use on tall buildings and securing means are supplied for the extra sections.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised, but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the screen or guard of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view showing the screen folded for storage or transportation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of the fastener for the extra sections.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated the present preferred embodiment of my invention, I use a plurality of relatively light metal sections each made up of panels 2 having co-acting hinge loops 4 and 6 through which is passed pin 8.

suspending cables l0 may be passed through a pair of slots or holes l2 in the top panel, and it will be seen that the lower panel of each section is fashioned with a lip I4 between the hinge joints which projects upwardly and overlaps an adjoining upper panel, to close the opening between panels and prevent passage of fire or burning embers therethrough. The screen may include a suitable number of sections permanently hinged and when lowered to the ground for storage they will fold upon each other as seen in Fig. 2 ready to unfold when raised.

Should it appear desirable or necessary additional detachable sections, made up of hinged panels may be employed in the guard, by use of the holes or slots [2 in the panels and detachable locking devices, one of which is shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1 where a number of the locking devices or latch bolts are shown supporting the detachable section, it will be seen that each latch bolt has an anchoring cross head l5, and as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, a lateral arm [8 projects from the head with a bend at 20 so that the angular end 22 of the bolt depends below the head and arm, and terminates in a bevel edge 24. The bevel edge facilitates the insertion of the bolt through a pair of registering holes or slots I2, l2, in the panels, and the inserted bolt is turned to bring the leg 22 into close contact with one panel, while the cross head bears against the other panel, to retain the two panels in close contact.

From the above description it will appear that the screen or guard of my invention may be used to cover a portion or all of a building wall to prevent the spread of fire, and may be hung in various lengths as desired, and being formed of hinged, folding sections, may be easily attached and stored ready to be raised when needed.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a portable and foldable fire screen, the combination with horizontal panels arranged in pairs having laterally spaced hinge joints and overlapped horizontal edges between the hinge joints, means for suspending the screen in efiective position, and the plane horizontal edges of two adjoining hinged panels also being overlapped, of angular fastening bolts passed through registering slots in the overlapped plane edges, each said bolt having a retaining cross-head and a lateral arm, and a leg depending from the arm for coaction with the cross head in detachably fastening together said plane edges.

FREDERICK A. GUENTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 162,250 Moore Apr. 20, 1875 377,732 Adams Feb. 14, 1888 757,106 Gervais Apr. 12, 1904 803,618 Mumford Nov. 7, 1905 1,030,493 Sorenson June 25, 1912 1,567,239 Capell Dec. 29, 1925 2,149,157 Bauer Feb. 28, 1939 

